I enjoy creating fan-art of the LOTR characters for fun. I started this piece originally for the annual "Tolkien_Forever" Hall of Fire party, and afterwards decided it needed more detail (sometimes its hard to know when to stop) so this is the final version. The idea was to show Bilbo encouraging both Sam and Frodo to read. Sam has a "primer" in the Commn Tongue, or Westron, while Frodo is reading a poem written in Elvish. I make the original line drawings in pencil, then scan them and add them together in a layered file. Then I add the shading in Photoshop. I wanted it to have a peaceful, homey mood with the fireplace and the lamps lit. I have the drawing in its entirety and two closeups. I haven't tried adding images to this forum before, so I hope this works, and I hope you enjoy the illustration (and the close up views.) -Maura Labingi (aka "primmy_b", my original ID) "I am in fact a hobbit in all but size." - J.R.R.Tolkien

does have that warm homey feeling. Wish the Hobbit Pride contest was not closed since this would be a great entry. I noticed in your profile that you do freelance. Am I right to assume it includes art? I have been preparing to try it myself but am pretty nervous about taking the first step. New things can always be a challenge I guess. I like your location-Left coast. A myth is far truer than a history, for a history only gives a story of the shadows, whereas a myth gives a story of the substances that cast the shadows.~Annie Besant Riding a horse is not a gentle hobby, to be picked up and laid down like a game of solitaire. It is a grand passion. It seizes a person whole, and once it has done so, he will have to accept that his life will be radically changed. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Yes, I am a freelance illustrator & graphic designer, and do product development as well for such things as figurines and toys. I had an advantage when deciding to go freelance: I had worked as a character artist for many years in the consumer products division of an entertainment company and had made many contacts. Most of my assignments come from my former employers: the people I used to work with who are still there or who now work for other studios. There are artist agencies and representatives who can get you projects, also; that may be a good route to take when you are just starting out in the business. You can also start out doing freelance part-time while you keep your currrent job, and build up your contacts that way. -ML "I am in fact a hobbit in all but size." - J.R.R.Tolkien

Thank you orcbane. Yes, I like the films so much that I can only think of the characters as looking like the film actors, now, as well as the film settings, props, costumes, etc. I think the films are all just so beautifully designed and so "right" in the visual styles chosen for the different cultures of Middle Earth, thanks to Alan Lee, John Howe, and the WETA designers. What I like to envision are scenes that did not appear in the films, like this one, and sometimes scenes that are in the films but from a different camera-angle, as it were. -ML "I am in fact a hobbit in all but size." - J.R.R.Tolkien

comment about the film actually improving upon the book in some ways. It is hard to define, but to make the films a great work (I'll call it a masterpiece!) certain things I believe had to change, and change drastically. It was in the hands of the film-makers and cast and they did better then I could ever have imagined.

...that the films deserve the title "Masterpiece." I didn't know that Christopher Lee had said that, though! I am both surprised and pleased; I thought he was such a Tolkien purist that he wouldn't think that the books could be improved upon in any way. Well, you learn something new every day. -ML "I am in fact a hobbit in all but size." - J.R.R.Tolkien

extended edition documentaries or appendixes, that Christopher Lee made the comment. But which one ??!! I think it was at the same time he talks about being put-out over the ammount of 'takes' PJ shoots on camera. But then goes on to explain how PJ likes to piece together things with different delivery styles.

sharing the information, you have given me some hope in trying to pursue freelancing. I don't know if I will succeed but if I don't try I will never know I have had so many people tell me that I should pursue using my art talent to bring in an income but then they are not in the industry, so I have been very wary of my ability.

Thanks again, Karen A myth is far truer than a history, for a history only gives a story of the shadows, whereas a myth gives a story of the substances that cast the shadows.~Annie Besant Riding a horse is not a gentle hobby, to be picked up and laid down like a game of solitaire. It is a grand passion. It seizes a person whole, and once it has done so, he will have to accept that his life will be radically changed. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Some of my earlier LOTR drawings are at this site, if you'd like to see them: http://s194.photobucket.com/albums/z83/Primmy_B/Drawings/ And if anyone wants to make a copy of a drawing just for yourself, all I ask is that images I've made not be re-copied, mass-produced, sold, linked to or used without permission. The powers that be would send their laywers after *me* since my name is on the work. Thanks, -ML, aka "primmy_b" "I am in fact a hobbit in all but size." - J.R.R.Tolkien

That's such a nice compliment, thank you elvenhobbit. I've added both some older and newer pieces to my PhotoBucket account. If you'd like to view them, please go to: http://s194.photobucket.com/albums/z83/Primmy_B/ and look in the sub-folder called "LOTR Drawings." All the images in that sub-folder have been tagged and have some descriptions with them, hopefully making it easier to find and view them. best wishes, Maura Labingi, aka "primmy_b" (my original ID) "I am in fact a hobbit in all but size." - J.R.R.Tolkien

i thought lee had taken issue with jackson's decision to both finish him off at isengard and keep the death scene out of the theater version. and i'm sorry but in my opinion many wrong editorial decisions were made.

I too would like to have seen more than a few things done differently in the films, including keeping "the scouring of the Shire" intact. Then we would have seen Saruman's and Wormtongue's deaths at the right place and time. But overall I think PJ captured the... well, "essence" of the stories (for lack of a better word) in film form. The goals, motivations, etc. of the characters and the feelings came through (for me, anyway.) But I wouldn't complain if, at some time in the future, a film-maker wanted to make a literal word-for-word cinematic interpretation of LOTR! "I am in fact a hobbit in all but size." - J.R.R.Tolkien

Nice job with the pics - you really made the characters look like the actors in the film. And THANK YOU for not making Sam fat in your drawing. I don't know where Jackson got the idea that Sam was fatter than the other hobbits. I don't remember this stated in the books anywhere. In your drawing he looks like Astin did in "Goonies".